wederkerende

Wederkerende is a Dutch term used to describe grammatical relations in which the action of the verb refers back to the subject or to another participant in a mutual action. In everyday language it often denotes reflexivity or reciprocity, and in some contexts it can also be used more broadly to describe reciprocal relationships.

In Dutch grammar, the concept appears most clearly in two forms. First, reflexive constructions use wederkerende voornaamwoorden, such as mezelf, jezelf, uzelf, onszelf, and in many cases zich for third-person references. These pronouns accompany reflexive verbs to show that the subject is also the receiver of the action, for example: Ik was me (I wash myself), Hij wast zich (He washes himself). Emphatic forms like mezelf are used for emphasis: Ik heb het zelf gedaan.

Second, the reciprocal use is expressed with elkaar, the mutual counterpart of elkaar means “each other” or “one another.” This marks actions performed mutually between two or more participants, for example: Ze zien elkaar, Ze helpen elkaar.

The distinction between reflexive and reciprocal use is a common topic in Dutch language resources, including grammars and dictionaries. Some verbs are inherently reflexive in specific constructions, while others take a reflexive pronoun only in particular contexts. The label wederkerend thus covers a range of forms that encode reference back to the subject or mutual action between participants, helping to clarify who receives the action or who participates in the interaction.

Outside grammar, the term can also appear in broader discussions of reciprocity in language, though its primary and most detailed use remains grammatical.